Fendrarl's Gate
This riverbank shepherd's village stands on the north shore of the upper River Chionthar between Berdusk and Iriaebor in a bight where the river bends sharply in Sunset Vale. It's named for its long-ago founder, a warrior grown weary of wetting swords, who settled down here to farm and spent the rest of his days fighting off trolls. His great-great-great-great-grandson now rules the Gate from a tiny castle perched on a rocky knob at the river's edge, which is known as the Imperial Palace. This is fitting, because the ruler of Fendarl's Gate styles himself the High Knight-Emperor of the Vale. The real name of this fat, pompous little man is Eldebuck Thorm Fendarl. He leads an army of 14 splendid knights. The knights defend the Palace, which serves as the Gate's mediocre inn. (It's cold, dank, drafty, and lacking in privacy and proper lighting of evenings.) Expect to pay 10 gp for yourself and 4 gp for stabling each animal you bring for the honor of spending a night under the same roof as the High Knight-Emperor. There's little reason to visit the Gate unless you're a wool or mutton merchant - or really enjoy eating. They do it in style here. But if you're a visitor, it's a tent outside the Palace for you. Only the High Knight-Emperor and his 'personal guests' (those who've paid his price or been invited) dine in the cavernous great hall. You'll be sharing the tent with locals, who mutter often about their good ruler's prohibition on building a proper inn or tavern in the Gate. A day of feasting in the Gate starts with a morningfeast of thick-sliced roast boar (imagine a strip of bacon 2 inches thick) garnished with fruit and encircled by mounds of cooked eggs whipped into a golden frothy lather and combined with milk and fine-chopped shoot onions or leeks. This is all washed down with twin tankards of cold ale and mulled, spiced cider to get the digestion going. One has time for a quick stroll to the jakes (to continue the process begun by the ale and cider) before midmorningfest begins: a hot and cold meal of hot, thick soup or stew (usually a poultry and creamed mushroom concoction, though it can be beef or venison with carrots in winter) and the cold leftovers of last night's feast (known to locals as the gnawbones). This is washed down with clear wine of any vintage you desire. (By the way, the Palace has the best wine cellar I've seen outside the City of Splendours itself.) Take another stroll to settle your fare because highsunfest is not long in coming. Many locals miss this meal, being 'too busy in the fields'. Even the knights, who contrive to miss one other meal a day by being at practice of arms (when they're standing guard, platters are brought to them by order of the High Knight-Emperor), usually escape this feast by riding far out over the fields to work the imperial falcons. Beware: The rodents and birds they bring back are promptly made into a stew with onions, parsnips, and lots of pepper for late evening snacks. Those fortunate enough to linger for highsunfest will enjoy spiced melted cheese on buns (not bad at all) and the High Knight-Emperor?s latest craze: cold cucumber soup. One is served a bowl of it as large as a soldier's helm, and at this meal his Imperial Altitude (by which title he must always be addressed, on pain of a tenday imprisonment and confiscation of all goods) makes the rounds of his subjects and guests, seeing that they eat their platters bare, pressing them to praise his cooks and the boundless bounty of the Gate, and telling the same stories of his ancestor Fendarl's heroism every day. Watch the locals smile and answer enthusiastically - and do likewise. Eveningfest is the main meal of every day, featuring a variety of whole roast beasts. It used to boast stuffed stag's heads, until a sly mage used an audible glamer to make a head on a platter complain to the High Knight-Emperor about its slaying and grisly indignities heaped upon it in the kitchen. These roast delicacies taste better than they sound. They are stuffed with quail flesh, woodchuck, pheasant, and other small game cooked with spices and chopped onions. Category:Villages Category:Settlements in Sunset Vale